Combination-rack.



0. R. HAAS & W; GILES. COMBINATION BACK.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25, 1909.

. 931,059. Patented Aug. 17, 1909.

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COMBINATION RACK.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 25, 1909.

Patented Aug. 17, 1909. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CORTEZ R. HAAS, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, AND WILLIAM GILES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

COMBINATION-RACK.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CORTEZ R. Hans and l'VILLnmr GILES, citizens of the United States, residing, respectively, at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, and at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combination-Racks, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to kitchen and table articles, and the object is to provide a proper support and rack for articles on a table in a dining car on a railway, whereby the articles are held stationary in their proper positions, to avoid soiling and other damage to the articles, such as is occasioned due to the jarring of the car.

Our invention consists in a stand for supporting a vessel in position, a radially outwardly extending lug adjacent to the flange on the stand and a vertically disposed rack supported on the lug and having clips for holding cards.

Our invention also consists in the parts and in the details of construction and arrangement of parts as will hereinafter be -more fully described and claimed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a general perspective view of a device embodying our invention as we prefer to construct it. Fig. 2 is a section on a line corresponding to the line ww of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 4 is a detail plan view of part of the device, illustrating the construction of the lug and the socket of the rack fitting thereon, this view being somewhat enlarged and the taper of the parts being also somewhat exaggerated to clearly illustrate their formation.

Constructed as illustrated, our improved combination rack comprises a flaring base 1 carr in a su ort 2 for a vessel such as the water bottle 3, which support has an upwardly extending annular flange 4 to maintain the vessel in position on the support. The support is provided with a series of perforations 5 to allow drainage of liquids therefrom. From the periphery of the sup port 2 adjacent to the flange 4, positioned diametrically opposite to each other, are the radially outwardly extending lugs 6. The racks 7 have sockets 8 adapted to fit over the lugs 6. Each of these racks comprises a bifurcated frame consisting in a lower horizontally extending part and lateral ver- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 25, 1909.

Patented Aug. 17, 1909.

Serial No. 479,983.

tically extending parts, upon the horizontally extending part of which the socket 8 is located in the middle thereof and extending at right angles to the lateral vertical part of the rack. Each rack also has a ledge 9 extending along the horizontal part of its frame on the-side thereof opposite to that on which the lug 8 is located, while the lateral vertical parts are each provided with a clip 10 on the same side of the rack as is the ledge 9. This ledge 9 serves to support the lower edges of cards 11. which are inserted behind the clips 10, and the rack being vertically disposed when its socket is on the lug of the stand, these cards will be held in vertical position. Preferably, a spring clip 12 is also provided on one side of each rack to hold a pencil, as shown.

In order that the rack may be held firmly in position on the stand and yet be readily removable therefrom, each of the lugs 7 is provided with a slot 13 extending radially from its outer end inwardly, terminating in an opening lat, whereby the lug is bifurcated so that its two parts may spring slightly with respect to each other. This lug is so shaped that its two members thus formed by the bifurcation normally flare or diverge from each other. To correspond with this resilient bifurcated lug the socket 8 adapted to fit thereon is slightly tapering from its open end toward the rack 011 which it is located so that when the socket is slipped onto the lug it will first spring the members of this resilient bifurcated lug together slightly, against the resistance thereof, and then passing their widest extension, will allow them to spring outward again to their normal flaring position, as is best shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. The socket and lug being constructed with the proper degree of accuracy, it will be seen that the socket will be held on the lug firmly and may only be removed therefrom by such force as will compress the two parts of the lug again. Thus, the rack is held firmly in its proper posit-ion and prevented from shaking or rattling on the stand, but at the same time is readily removable'when so desired for c011- venience in the use of the device, such as in cleaning or in storage thereof.

The stand itself, as we prefer to make it, being of heavy construction will offer suflicient resistance against the jarring of the car in which it is used to hold the bottle or other vessel which it supports in proper stat-ionary position. The racks being held firmly thereon, as above described, and being adapted to receive and hold the cards in stationary position therein, the spilling of the contents of the bottle or other vessel is avoided and the cards are held up off of the table, in position for ready reference thereto. As illustrated, a number of these cards containing the bill of fare may be inserted into each rack and when the exposed one is soiled it may be removed exposing a clean one. However, it will be understood that the soiling of the cards will not take place so quickly as when they are left loose upon the table to be handled repeatedly and to have articles of food spilled upon them, as is unavoidable under such conditions. As shown, each card has attached to it a slip, as is usual in setting forth special dishes for the day, and it will be seen that this special slip is also held in the most convenient position for reference to it, as well as allowing ready reference to the regular card upon which it mounted. The pencil is held in the most convenient position for use of the guest in making a note of the dishes to be ordered.

Our improved combination rack, by rea son of its peculiar simple and'rigid construction, is especially adapted for use in dining cars where simplicity of construction permitting elegance of design is necessary, and where rigidity is required for maintaining the articles in stationary position against the jarring of the car, which articles have been heretofore allowed to move around on the tables under such jarring, creating considerable annoyance as well as expense. The expense is especially decreased by the use of our improved combination rack due to the fact that the cards may be kept clean longer and need not be renewed so often.

It will also be understood that our improved rack is equally well adapted for use on boats and ships, or in any other place where meals are served under similar conditions.

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. As a new article of manufacture, the herein described combination rack comprising a stand and a flange thereon for maintaining a vessel in position, an outwardly extending lug on a stand, a vertically disposed rack for cards, and a socket on the rack fitting over the lug, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

:2. As a new article of manufacture, the herein described combination rack consisting in a stand comprising a flaring base and a support for a vessel carried thereon with an annular flange around it for maintaining the vessel in position, radially outwardly extending lugs oppositely disposed to each other adjacent to the flange, vertically disposed racks for holding cards and sockets on the racks fitting over the lugs, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

3. As a new article of manufacture, the herein described combination rack consisting in a stand forming a support for a vessel, an outwardly extendlng lug on the stand having a slot therein, whereby it is bifurcated and resilient so that its two members may spring together, said lug being so shaped that its two members normally slightly flare, a vertically disposed rack for holding cards, and a socket on the rack adapted to fit over the lug, the socket being flared from its open end toward the rack on which it is located, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

4. As a new article of manufacture, the herein described combination rack consisting in a stand comprising a flaring base, and a circular support for a vessel carried thereon having an annular flange around it to maintain the vessel in position, radially outwardly extending lugs on the vessel located diametrically opposite to each other, each lug being provided with a slot extending radially thereof from its outer end inwardly, whereby the lug is bifurcated and resilient, the members of the lug being adapted to normally flare, vertically disposed racks adapted to support cards, a socket on each rack, each of said sockets being adapted to fit over one of said lugs, and each socket being flared from its open end toward the rack on which it is located, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

CORTEZ R. HAAS. \VILLIAM GILES. lVitnesses James N. RAMSEY, CLARENCE Pnnnnw. 

